Refrigerator insulator unit



Dec. 20, 1955 w. w. FENNER REFRIGERATOR INSULATOR UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1953 Walter W. Fenner INVENTOR.

BY #805 EMg and United States Patent REFRIGERATOR INSULATOR UNIT Walter W. Fenner, Orchard Park, N. Y., assignor of forty-nine per cent to Henry P. Niemczyk, Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 19, 1953, Serial No. 356,073

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-102) The present invention relates to a refrigerator construction and more particularly relates to a refrigerator construction having greatly improved insulating properties.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a refrigerator construction having an improved insulation unit whereby the refrigerator interior may be effectively insulated by the provision of a dead air space therein.

An object of the invention, ancillary to the primary object, is to provide a novel insulating unit or shell of the hollow wall type between the outer casing of the refrigerator and the food storage compartment within the refrigerator casing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator construction wherein a free air space is provided between the inner shell, or food compartment, and the insulating unit whereby air may be circulated through the free air space into the food compartment to prevent sweating of this compartment and also prevent the accumulation of noxious odors within the food compartment.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a means for maintaining a moisture content in the food compartment to prevent dehydration of foods therein, which means may eliminate the necessity for a hydrator.

A last object of the present invention to be mentioned specifically is the provision of a refrigerator that is light in weight, constructed of non-critical materials, is easily maintained and is relative simple and economical of manufacture.

Various ancillary objects and features of the invention not specifically mentioned above will become apparent as the following description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the refrigerator con struction of the present invention with parts being broken away to show constructional details;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the refrigerator shown in Figure 1 taken substantially along section line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top sectional view of the refrigerator taken substantially along section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the refrigerant conduit passing through the insulating unit, which unit forms an essential part of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the insulating unit of the present invention per se with a part being broken away to show the hollow wall construction;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a conventionally designed inner shell or food compartment of a refrigerator being slotted to provide for free air circulation within the refrigerator;

Figure 7 is a view of another conventional type of inner shell or food compartment being slotted in accordance with the present invention to provide for free air circula tion; and

Figure 8 is a view, partly in section, of a modified drip pan construction.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, wherein like reference numerals will be used to designate like parts throughout, attention is first directed to Figure 1 wherein is shown a refrigerator 10 of conventional design of the type commonly found in homes. As shown, the refrigerator comprises generally an outer casing 12, a door 14 mounted at the front of the casing for horizontal swinging movement and a handle 16 for opening and closing the door. Directly beneath the door 14 on the front of the casing 12 is shown a drip pan 18 which is slidable into and out of the casing for a purpose that will later become apparent.

In Figures 2-6, the constructional details of the refrigerator 10 are clearly shown. The outer casing or shell 12 is of plastic construction and includes a back wall 20, top wall 22, side walls 24 and a substantially open front 26 having a closed, lower base portion 30 in which the drip pan 18 is slidably disposed. The inner surfaces of the side walls 24 and back wall 20 are formed with inwardly extending lugs or projections 32.

Disposed within the outer casing or shell 12 is an insulating unit or shell 34 which is constructed of glass, preferably, and is of substantially the same configuration as the outer shell 12.

The insulating unit 34 is of hollow wall construction and comprises an outer wall 36 and an inner wall 38 spaced therefrom with spacers 40 interposed between and secured to the inner surfaces of walls 36 and 38. This member may be either molded as a unit or fabricated from sheet glass and by virtue of its hollow wall or double wall construction provides a dead air space between the outer and inner walls 36 and 38 respectively. For the sake of convenience of description, the bottom panels of the insulating unit 34 are separately designated by the numerals 41 and 42 for the inner and outer panels thereof, respectively. This insulating unit 34 is fitted into the casing of the refrigerator so that the outer surface ofthe outer wall 36 abuts the lugs 32 on the inner surface of the casing whereby the outer wall of the insulating unit is spaced from the interior surface of the casing 12. With particular reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that the insulating unit 34 is of somewhat less length or height than the refrigerator casing 12 whereby the interior of the base of the casing 12 is left free for the mounting of the compressor 44.

Also disposed within the casing 12 is the inner shell or storage compartment 46 of the refrigerator 10. As shown in Figure 2, the insulating unit 34 is disposed between the casing 12 and the inner shell 46 with a free air space being left between the inner shell 46 and the insulating unit 34.

The inner shell 46 (Figure 6) has a peripheral flange 50 whereby the member is attached at the open front 26 of the casing 12 as by screws or other fasteners 52 whereby upon opening of the door 14 only the food compartment or inner shell 46 is exposed to the atmosphere.

As shown particularly in Figures 2 and 3, the door 14, like the insulating unit 34 is formed of glass and is of hollow wall construction whereby the meritorious benefits of a hollow wall insulating unit are attained for this portion of the refrigerator also. Rubber sealing gaskets 54 are interposed between the inner periphery of the door and the flange 50 of the inner shell 46 to effectively seal the interior of the refrigerator 10 from ingress of air into the interior of the refrigerator when the door 14 is in closed position.

From the compressor 44 disposed within the hollow interior of the base of the casing 12, a plurality of refrigerant conducting conduits 56 extend through the free air space 48 between the food compartment 46 and the in- I 3 ,sulating unit 34, which conduits terminate in the refri erating coils 58 disposed on.. the top of the inner shell or food compartment 46. To-provide for passage of the refrigerant conduits Sithrough the bottom walls 4l and 42 of the insulating unit 34, integral spacing sleeves 60 are formed providing abore 62 therethrough through ,which the conduits 56 may pass. To rigidly maintain the conduits 56 in fixed relation tothe sides -of the sleeves ,60 formed the bottom wall of the insulating unit 34, bushings are provided, these bushings frictionally abutting the inner surfaces of the sleeve 6!).

I Adjacent the upper end of the inner shell 46 and disposed in the free air space between the insulating unit 34 ;and the inner shell 46, isa fan .66 which is adapted to continually circulate air around the refrigerating con- 56 and the associated coils 58, while the'refrigerator compressor 44 is in operation. Thus, the fan may be synchronized with the compression motor for simulta- :neous actuation therewith by any suitable means. Adjacent the bottom of the inner shell 46 are a plurality of elongated rectangular slots 68 which communicate the .free-air space 48 with the interior of the inner shell 46. 'Byi-thispar-ticular construction, when the fan 66 is actuated, the cooled air in the free air space 43 is directed through the slots -68 into the interior of the food compartment 46 whereby .a substantially even flow of cooled 'air is provided in the interior of the food compartment. .In addition to providing a substantially even circulation of cooling air in the interior of the foodcompartment 46,

thefan .and slot arrangement-66 and 68 .furtherprevents -swea-ting within the interior of the food compartment 46 and hy the sarnetoken prevents noxious .foodcdors from :settlin-g to the bottom of the food compartment.

i o-effectively dispose of the condensate formed on the mefrigerating coils 53 and conduits 56,, and to prevent food from dehydrating in the food compartment, the bottom walls 40 and '42 of the insulating unit 34 are ,provided with a :drain conduit72 which opens into the drip -pan 18. Thus, as the condensates form, they are discharged throughconduit 72 into the .drippan 18 and may be quickly and easily :disposed of. :Further, as ,shown, the-discharge conduit 72 is integral with :the bottom wall of the-insulating unit 34 and forms roneof the spacing sleeves of the hollow wall construction thereof. :As shown in Figure 3, aflexible sleeve 73 depends from rtheend o'fthe discharge conduit 72 into the'drip pan ,18 whereby air circulated bythe fan 616 :is moistened sufii- -.cient to gprevent dehydration of food 'within the food compartment.

The inner shell or food compartmenbdfihas a plurality of spaced mounting lugs extending inwardly of the side I wall thereof upon which food supporting trays 7.6 are disposed. This inner shell 46 .may be constructed .of,

..either;plastic or steel or of any other suitable material. ..However, the plastic, such as Lucite, is the preferred construction since it is of lightweight, has an inherently smooth surface and-may be most attractively colored to suitanydecorative color scheme. desired.

.. .As shown in Figure 7,- a second type of arr-inner shell ofrectangular slots, as evidenced by numeral 86, to afford circulation between the free air space 48 "and the interior 'of thefo'od "compartment 554. However, the inner shell 78,is provided with a further rectangular slot 83 oneither 'side thereof for communicating the freezing compartmerit-coils 32 withthe free air space 48. Itisto be noted that this construction.maybe formed of plastic,

' as Lucite, being the preferred construction.

in Figure 8, a modified drip pan arrangement is shown wherein the drip pan 94 is stepped to provide a rear shallow tray section 96 and a front deep well section 98. The front of the refrigerator casing 30 at the drip pan entrance is beveled as "at 100 whereas the rear support 102 for the drip pan is sloped identically to the bevel 100 to permit the drip pan 94 to slide inwardly and upwardly within the casing. With this arrangement, athekdisohsnge conduit 72 may be integrallyelongated as at 104 to extend into the drip pan with the stepped sliding movement of the drip ,pan 94 preventing any contact of the sides or rear wall of the pan with the conduit and, consequently, greatly reducing the tendency to spill the drip pan as the same is removed and replaced.

Referring new again to Figure 1, as shown by the broken away portions in this figure, the exterior 9f the door .14 is provided with a plastic coating 92 to protect the surface from :nicks and scratches as well as .toadd to the insulating properties of the casing.

By virtue of the glass :and plastic construction ofthe .refri gerator of the present invention, the refrigerator may be constructed almost entirely of non-critical materials which are .much lighter .in weight :than the -heavy ,porce- ,lainized metals now :utilized in the construction of refrig-.

erators, are more easily cleaned than the metal constructed refrigerators .due to the inherent smoothness of vplastics and provides a construction whereby the metallic odors often found 'in refrigerators are eliminated. 7

.Further, by the novel insulating unit providedzby the .present invention, the insulating properties of the present refrigerator construction ,may be greatly enhanced lto provide a more efficient method .of insulation thereby per- .rnitting .the .use of :a smaller compressor unit and as .-.a corollary to sthiS, reducing operation cost. Further, .by

.,to sweat either on its inside .or outsidesurfaces is-effecvtively eliminated thereby greatly increasing the tim s between defrostings .and.at the same time keepingifoods fresher than was heretofore possible.

From the.above,.it.is believed thattheconstruction.and operation of v.theinvention will bereadily apparent. .However, since numerousmodifications and changes will-readily occur to those skilled in the art after a perusal ,ofthe foregoing specification, itisnotdesired to limit ,thc.inven- .tion .to .the exact constructions shown and described and allsuitable modifications ,andchanges that fall within the scopeof .the. appended claims may be resorted to.

.Havingdescribed the invention, what ,is. claimed ,as new 1s 1. A refrigerator constructionzcomprising,an outeropen front casing, a hollow wall glass insulatingshell disposed .in said Leasing and :an inner shell .disposed within said insulating shell, said insulating shell beingspacedfrom said inner shelland-providinga rfree .air spacelherebetween, refrigerating coils disposed Within said free air space saidinner shell having elongated openings therein .adjacentthelower .endthereof communicating theinterior .of the-shell with said .freeairspace for .air circulation therebetween. I I

v2. .A. refrigerator construction; comprising .an outer; open front casing, .a hollow wall ,glassinsulating shell disposed in said casing and aninner shell disposed withinsaidiinfs lating shell, said insulating shell 'being spaced from said inner shell and providing a free air space therebetween,

refrigerating coils-disposed. withinsaidfree air space said inner=shllhavingclongatedopenings-therein adjacent the lower end thereof communicating the interior of' the-shell with said free: air space 'for air circulation therebetween,

insulatingzshe'llzhaving a drainopeningdn the b'ottom .thereof,.a drip pa'ncmountediinzsaidrcasingsan'd bein'gdisposed beneath said drain opening.

3. A refrigerator construction comprising an outer open front casing, a hollow wall glass insulating shell disposed in said casing and an inner shell disposed within said insulating shell, said insulating shell being spaced from said inner shell and providing a free air space therebetween, refrigerating coils disposed within said free air space said inner shell having elongated openings therein adjacent the lower end thereof communicating the interior of the shell with said free air space for air circulation therebetween, said insulating shell having a drain opening in the bottom thereof, a drip pan mounted in said casing and being disposed beneath said drain opening, said insulating shell having a drain conduit therein, a drip pan slidably disposed in said casing, said drain conduit opening into the drip pan and adapted to be in continuous contact with liquid in the drip pan.

4. A refrigerator construction comprising an outer open front casing, a hollow wall glass insulating shell disposed in said casing and an inner shell disposed within said insulating shell, said insulating shell being spaced from said inner shell and providing a free air space therebetween, refrigerating coils disposed within said free air space, said inner shell having elongated openings therein adjacent the lower end thereof communicating the interior of the shell with said free air space for air circulation therebetween, and means for creating an air current within said free air space for circulating air through the interior of said inner shell and said free air space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,160,184 Wilhelm May 30, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,310 Switzerland Sept. 30, 1953 

